


Together

by ardentmuse



Series: Charlie Weasley Imagines [9]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dancing, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Love Confessions, Romance, Video Game: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-08 23:50:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19878133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardentmuse/pseuds/ardentmuse
Summary: Meeting the twins reminds you of the family you miss in Jacob’s absence. But Charlie is determined to remind you of the family you’ve chosen, and the love you had in your heart to share, too.





	Together

“The curse-breaker!?” Fred shrieked as he ran across the courtyard. You were sitting alongside the fountain, just waiting for the Weasley boys to make their appearance. Everything was such chaos at the welcome dinner that you hadn’t yet had the opportunity to meet the “heart and soul” of the Weasley family, as Charlie had called them with a laugh. And Fred, the boy who had just leapt into the seat beside you, all grin and jittery energy, was the vibrant heart to George’s cool soul, indeed. 

“Tell me everything!” the young ginger began, bouncing on his own hands as his knees knocked against yours where you sat. “Did you really set this courtyard on fire with shooting stars last year?” 

George popped down beside his matching sibling. 

“Did you really fight off a dragon?” asked the second twin in quick follow-up. 

“Did you really get apparated by Mad-Eye Moody?” 

“Did you really use polyjuice potion to impersonate Professor Snape?” 

“How did you know–” you begin, finally processing their rapid statements.

“And did you know our brother has a huge crush on you?” Fred said with a cheeky grin just as Charlie finally finished the long walk to join your little introductory party.

Charlie grabbed Fred by the collar to lift him from his place pressed firmly against your shoulder. 

“Alright, that’s enough, Fred,” Charlie said as he placed his little brother down on his feet beside him. Charlie rustled the twins hair as red spread fiercely up his neck and across his cheeks. 

“I’m not Fred,” Fred said with the slightest twitch of his upper lip, “That’s Fred.” 

Charlie just sighed, “De-gnoming scar, left elbow, Fred.” Redirecting his attention to you, Charlie scratched his neck. ““Sorry, Y/N, they are just really eager to meet you.”

“Eager?” George questioned, “You mean bloody thrilled. Charlie’s only been talking about you non-stop for years now–”

“What did I say, George?”

George pulled on his vest and cleared his throat once, putting on his best Charlie impression, “‘You know how much I like Y/N, so please don’t make this awkward for me–” 

Charlie’s hand was upon George’s mouth as quickly as he could move. His nervous chuckle was enough for you to know the boys aren’t lying. The knowledge had your cheeks heating too. You found yourself staring deeply into Charlie’s beautiful chestnut eyes, ones you had seen so many times before but without the sort of clarity you felt in your chest right now. As if understanding, Charlie smiled.

George struggled out of his brother’s hold, interrupting the moment with a flailing of his arms. 

“Y/N, let me formally introduce you to Fred and George Weasley,” Charlie announced in an effort to steer the meeting back on track.

As if remembering himself, Fred offered you his hand, “Pleasure to meet you, curse-breaker.” 

When you gave the young boy your hand, he immediately turned your hand to kiss the knuckles in the lowest bow he could muster.

“We, the best of the Weasley siblings, are at your pranking service.”

You were laughing at the seriousness on the boy’s face, his movements like that of meeting the Queen now that he remembered his company. 

“Nice to meet you. Charlie’s said only good things.” 

George laughed, “Now that’s a lie if I ever heard one.” Leaning over the Charlie, the twin added, “I think you’re in, dear Charles,” which earned him a rather intense eye roll.

It was dark in the courtyard by the time the Weasley twins had finished up their line-up of questions. They were leaning their heads against each other, trying their hardest not to fall asleep as you finished detailing your encounter with your brother in the last cursed vault. 

“Woah,” George managed between yawns. 

Charlie was sitting beside you, his elbow bumping yours as he leaned forward, his warmth spreading to you as you leaned in just a little, the chill of the Scottish night giving you goosebumps. Charlie’s hand found your thigh as he pushed himself up to stand. 

“Okay, I think it’s time to get you two to bed. I have Prefect rounds soon, and I’d be a right old hypocrite if I don’t get you both back by curfew.” 

Fred bolted upright, energy surging through him suddenly. “But we didn’t even hear about Moody!” 

“That’s going to stay a secret for another day,” you sigh, watching Fred help his brother stand and the affectionate way Charlie guided them by the shoulders away from the fountain. 

“Night, Y/N!” the boys shouted over their shoulders as Charlie wrangled them away. 

Just as the castle doors shut behind them, the tears began to flow. 

An hour later, your eyes mostly dry as you watched the canopy of stars above you, you heard the intense creak of wood and crash of someone joining you in the courtyard, but you couldn’t motivate yourself to move.

Fleece covered your legs as a shadow moved beside you. The warmth you liked so much against your shoulder once again returned to you.

“I was worried when you didn’t show up for the start of our rounds,” Charlie said, reaching under his coat to grab your hand, tentative at first as his fingers brushed yours, but once you turned your palm upward in invitation, he interlocked your fingers and squeezed. 

“I just need a few more minutes,” you said still staring at the stars. But as the moonlight caught your face, Charlie saw the tear stains running down your face. 

He sighed before pulling your hand into his own lap.

“Talk to me,” he whispered as he let his fingers run along your thumb in comfort. 

And immediately, the words came rushing out of your mouth, about the love you witnessed between the Weasley brothers, your desperation to have your family united again, the bittersweet sense of appreciation and abandonment that came with releasing Jacob from his prison, the callous nature of all your friends pretending like their trauma from a single cursed vault experience was somehow worse that the years of torture you’d undergone at the hands of R and the media and the Hogwarts staff that valued their reputation more than the life of your brother and the countless students impacted by the dark magic ruling the castle, and more than anything just how alone you felt knowing you’d never be a normal teenage with regular dreams and a family to tease.

“We’re your family,” Charlie whispered once you finished, wiping away the new tears on your face. “The Weasleys are your family,” he said with more confidence now, more like a promise than a statement of truth. 

All you could do was smile and hiccup as the stars continued their incessant glow, mockingly beautiful. 

“What we went through last year was traumatic. I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same,”Charlie turned to you fully now, waiting for your eyes to meet his. “But I will never presume to understand your loss. Never.” 

You settled into a comfortable silence, the crickets chirping and the soft crest of lake water against the rock face just below filling the void. Your hands never separated as you allowed your head to fall softly against his shoulder. 

“Do you remember what I always used to say when we’d play gobstones out here?” Charlie asked. 

“That your mother makes good tea?” you laughed.

Charlie let out a breath, “Besides that.” 

You simply shrugged. 

“That I’d make you an official Weasley some day.”

His words lingered. You felt him swallow. 

“We’re a little young for the official part,” he said, and as though catching himself he added with quick breath, “I mean, it’s not like we’re even dating or anything, not that I expect you to date me or even want to–” his chest rose as he took a deep breath. “I can’t make you an official Weasley yet, but you’re an honorary one already. Jacob may be gone for now, but Bill’s your brother all the same. The twins idolize you like a sibling. Mum and Dad support you, even had a sit-down with Moody after he stole you away to make sure no harm came to you. And I–” 

“You what?” you whispered. But Charlie didn’t answer, instead he took your hand and pulled you to standing.

“Dance with me?” he asked. 

His hand gently found your waist, pulling you into his chest. The warm smell of honeysuckle filled your nose as your tears wet his shirt. You sighed into him, your ear pushing against his chest, the rhythm of his heart aligned with the night noises in a soft symphony of comfort and calm. 

Your hand on his shoulder lazily played with the holes in the knit of his jumper. 

In a moment, Charlie was leading you forward in a soft sway, no different than the kind you imagined when you pictured your Celestial ball date that never came to be. 

And then Charlie’s voice found your ear, a soft hum of pleasure in the tune of Annabel Harpie’s latest love ballad. And your voice filled the humming with the words you knew by heart, ones you had listened to all summer as you thought about the beautiful, kind young man standing before you. 

“They say we’re too young for real love,

Too young to know our souls

But we watch the same stars above

And feel their longing pull

Pulling us together 

Together, no matter what dark takes us

Together, no matter what magic wins

Together, together something beautiful…” 

Charlie’s hand parted from your hip as you began humming in time with him, the rest of the words feeling like they revealed way too much of your soul. His fingertips found your chin and soon his lips were upon yours, slow and intentional, moving in the rhythm you established with your tune, determined to make the most of the moment the stars have granted you. 

You gripped tight into his shirt, praying your mouth would convey the words your mouth had failed time and time again to share with him. His fingers caressed the space behind you ear with eager strokes, begging you to dive in, to turn the kiss from an innocent exploration to a promise, a fulfillment of your heart’s greatest desire. And promise you did.

“Together?” Charlie asked in a whisper against your mouth the instant he pulled away.

“Yes,” you said, the tingling of your mouth somehow strengthening you. “Together.” 

Charlie laughed. He threw his head back and let out a belly-laugh so full, the fullest you had heard since you escaped that chamber months ago. His grip found your hips again as he took him the stars. 

“Together,” he whispered into the night before turning his face to you once more.

“And definitely something beautiful,” he managed before kissing you again, full and slow and with longing. 

It was easy to lose yourself to him but a soft ringing from the bell towers at the entrance gates pulled you away. 

Charlie smiled at you once again, “Feeling better?” 

You nodded, feeling the tears pooling at your eyes once again though for the joy of what you had, not the sadness at what you had lost. 

Charlie’s hands found yours once again as he gathered your things and led you inside to your prefect rounds. 

“Come, love,” he said, a sweat forming in his palm as he tried out the new pet name, “It’s been two hours so I can guarantee Fred and George have been out of bed for at least fifteen minutes already.” 

You laughed, knowing the truth of Charlie’s words. Your gripped tightly at his hand, letting your heart slowly fill, sharing your burdens for the first time since your brother disappeared six years ago, together.

**Author's Note:**

> https://ardentmuse.tumblr.com/post/186406130841/together-charlie-weasley-x-reader


End file.
